I don't have the correct title for it at the moment, but it's in the Boutique, to choose colors from a photo for your layout. I was curious and bought it, but can't get it to work. I used add o matic to add it, but it just sits there. I haven't found any directions for it.
Anyone?? (Snu-SS Actions Color Swatch 6301)
Jean

I have been able to get it to make a color palette from the colors in the photo, but I have not had any luck getting it to make the paint chip. It will come up with texture when I want a color, and it ends up a mess.
I also used add-o-matic. I've thought about unstalling and trying it again.

I have it, used Add-O-Matic to install it (both the action files AND the pattern file) and use it in PSE 9. Mine did come with instructions (both a PDF and a word document) included in the product folder.

Here are quick instructions.

1) Open up a photo in PSE.
2) Run the Color Pick Action from your actions palette. A window will pop up telling you to name and 'Save' your swatch as an .ACT file (remembering where you saved it!), hit continue/OK
3) Load your swatch into the swatch palette. You might need to change the default file type in the load box to "Color Table (.ACT)"
4) Open a new document, and then run one of the other actions from the set to create the paint chips/color wheel, pulling the colors from the swatch you just saved & loaded.

Let me know if you have any specific questions about any of these steps.

Alrighty! Thanks Tiza. I finally found the files. At first it wouldn't open, but now I can read the instructions and then I'll regroup and try it. It sounds like fun once it's working. I love gadjets! I'll probably reload it first.
jean

There is a slight learning curve to it, trying to figure out the right order of steps and how to save/load the swatches. But once you get the hang of it, it's pretty fun to create swatches for your photos!

I didn't have any trouble at all (well, I made lots of mistakes, but it made sense) with the first action. It was the second one that gave me fits. I'll go back and try it again when I have a little more patience.

It's one of the things I have a hangup with. Planning out something. I make lists, etc. But even when I painted all of those years, I painted what I saw although I knew how to use a color wheel, values, the whole shebang, I still had some problems with it. I haven't had a chance to reload the action and try it, but I will. (Company coming, bath under construction!!, returning some things, trying to get a new phone working correctly. and on and on.
Jean

Tiza- I got through the first three steps that you gave. I cannot get it to work for step 4. Does the new document you create have to be a certain size? Can you walk through that part. I keep getting bubbles.

Thanks so much!!

,,

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Tiza- I got through the first three steps that you gave. I cannot get it to work for step 4. Does the new document you create have to be a certain size? Can you walk through that part. I keep getting bubbles.

Thanks so much!!

Did you install the pattern file that came with the action? That might be why you are getting bubbles.

And no, the new document doesn't need to be any certain size. In fact, if you already have a layout open in PSE, you can just run Step 4 (the swatch actions) from there too. The action will end up creating a new file in the size/shape of the desired color swatch (paint strip, color wheel).

I will note that the color picker action converts the Color Profile of your photo from sRGB to Indexed Color. So if you try running the swatch-building parts of the action on your original photo, you will get an error message. Don't panic. Just close the photo and reopen it, or hit the undo button until it returns to normal

You might also need to load the pattern the first time to make sure PSE knows to recognize it....
To load a pattern set, go to the Patterns palette (in the fill tool, Pattern overlay style, etc.), then click the small arrow in the top right corner and choose one of the pattern collections from the menu, or choose "Load Patterns" if the set is not listed in the menu.
You can also load patterns via the Preset Manager in Photoshop 6 and up.

I installed it with AddOMatic. Do I still need to go back and use the preset manager? Thanks for the remedial tips!

I installed mine with AddOMatic too. But I would try using the Preset manager just to make sure PSE recognizes the pattern in the folder, especially if you end up with the Bubbles instead of the correct pattern when running the action.

I struggled with this so badly! In the end it turned out I hadn't installed the patterns... Syndee walked me through it all - she was such a star! I haven't used it in a while cos I forgot how but I am going to go off now and follow Tiza's steps and see if I can remember! Thanks all! It is great fun when it works!

yes, I haven't used it in a long time, and remember having issues with the bubbles last time....figured it out way back then (of course can't remember how now) and now of course when I need it for Jumpstart January I'm running into the same troubles!

Frustating! how do I find the thread that I started that walked me through this the last time I had troubles? Don't want to reinvent the wheel!

Attached Files

There was a pattern file included with this action that needs to be put into the PSE pattern folder. All of the files shown in your screenshot appear to be the action files, and those are in the right location. Try looking through the original product folder to see if was included separately from the action files.

I found the PAT file in the original download and put SNU_SSActions_ColorSwatch6301 PAT file here: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 7\presets\patterns

I still got bubbles when I tried it again, so I deleted the mediabase and started PSE again...still comes up with bubbles....

Amy try this:

1. Go to Edit>Preset Manager2. The Preset Manager will open. Click on the Preset Type drop down menu and choose Patterns. Some pattern images will open.3. Click on the small more arrow on the right side of the box.4. Another menu will open - scroll down to SNU_SSActions_ColorSwatch6301 and select it. Click Done

Now try using the color swatch action and see if the right patterns come up for you. Remember there must be an open document in PSE (this can be blank) for the action to run.

Let us know if Theresa's instructions worked for you Amy. It's best to install the patterns the way that Theresa outlined, I am not sure that it will work correctly just placing them in the pattern folder.